Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Hi Everyone,

I've seen that there are a lot of older threads about this topic but I couldn't find all the information I was looking for. I've been looking for sometime at moving to Canada and joining the police service there. My preference would be a force in Alberta as they have held international recruitment events in the past. I have checked my eligibility and my partner and I are both eligible for the express entry system. I've also looked at Australia, New Zealand and British Overseas Territories but I'm not so keen on them as I've heard horror stories of people moving out and then moving back a few years later were as international recruitment appears to have been more of a success in Canada.

I'm not in a rush to move as I'd like to see how things pan out in the UK.

I have a few questions though:

1. How does policing in Canada compare to the UK?

2. Will there be any international recruitment events in the near future?

3. How long does it take to get PR status if you are living outside of Canada?

4. How are British cops viewed in Canada?

5. What are the benefits of being a cop in Canada over the UK?

6. How long is the initial training?

7. How does the lifestyle in Canada compare to the UK?

8. What is the public perception of the police in Canada?

Thanks

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Hi, and welcome to BE.

I've no idea about the police questions, but I'm sure some of the lovely folks on here will be along to help you with those later.

But for question 3, it will depend on how long you are sitting in the 'pool' of applicants. So you apply for EE (say about 2-3 months to get your IELTS and ECA to be able to apply) and then if you're scoring enough you'll be selected almost immediately and invited to apply for PR, which then takes approx 6 months. So figure about 8-9 months in total from starting the process.

However, if you're not scoring enough, then you could sit in the pool for a year without being invited to apply for PR (at which point, your profile would expire and you'd need to reapply). So really it will depend on your points score, if you're scoring over approx 450 then you're in with a chance, anything over approx 480 should mean an invitation fairly quickly.

HTH, best of luck.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Thanks for the quick reply. I've been counting up my points and I believe I'm around the 460 mark.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

OK, so you might not get selected straight away, but hopefully it won't be too long. Maybe figure about a year in total from start to finish as a (very!) rough guide.

HTH, best of luck.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Hi Minime33, feel free to send me a PM, I can gladly help you

Kind Regards

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

So..... my wife and I went out to calgary in 2009 in an attempt to join as transferees from kent. We had a ride along with Ann m's hubby and loved it. Only to be told when we saw recruitment that they had stopped all transfers the week we went there.😢😢😢😢😢 we put our dreAm on hold and have kept an eye on things. ... I work with a Canadian who said he's been told calgary are opening up again. Anyone know if this is true or not??
Please say yes!!!

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

I would be very surprised if they do, given the economy in Alberta right now. Edmonton have no plans now or in the near future to re-open. As far as I'm aware Calgary are stricter than Edmonton, as you have to have held PR for 3 years before you can apply, as it stands.
I can try and make some enquiries with a contact, but as I said, I'd be surprised.

Nigel

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

If you could nice thatd be great. Biggest regret is missing out by a week! I'd take anywhere in Canada!!!

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Ditto to the above - the economy is in the worst shape it's been for years so can't see why they'd suddenly change things? Highly unlikely IMO too.

But is there no other visa route for you? Assume you don't score enough on the CRS to get PR without a job offer?

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Don't really know. We'd have to try and get pr status without having a job offer first wouldn't we? I speak decent French German and Spanish so that may help I guess. How does it work?

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Ok. You've been trying to get back for years but haven't looked in to visas?! Sorry, I just assumed you had and already knew there was no way for you to get there without a job offer.

If you can get a visa without a job offer then that would make far more sense, as you'd then be PR's and so able to work without needing sponsorship.

Your German and Spanish will be of no use, they're not languages of Canada, but your French will get you extra points.

Start on the CIC website, you can take their eligibility test and look at visa routes to see if you could just apply for PR now. Then you'd have PR in about six months and can just move without worrying about a police force sponsoring you.

Good luck.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Sorry I should have explained better. We kept an eye on the situation to see if the pr nomination scheme opened up again. I'm a bit uneasy about leaving job in the UK without having a guaranteed job in Canada. If I can't get in the police for any reason I'd be buggered! I'll have a look and see. With pr status I can apply anywhere then??

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Billyboykent,

Well, as far as some ex-pat Calgary Officers go, they have had no indication that the international program is due to be re-opened. They think the same as me and Christmasoompa, the economy here is just too bad for them to consider it.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Yes Nige, Calgary has no intentions on opening it up again given the economy and availability of local applicants. Even with PR status certainly for Calgary my understanding is you need to have been in country 3 years to apply..

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Here in Edmonton (EPS) we are still ok with just PR, there are no time restrictions on how long you have held PR. But, again we have no intentions of re-opening international recruitment in the near future.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Nige , I am a Police Officer from the UK currently living and studying on a student visa in Alberta. I have been lucky enough to get a career break from my UK force and have come over here to study Justice. My ambition is to join the Police in Canada one of my reasons for just getting over here even if it was on a student visa. I'm I am hoping to make contacts whilst studying to allow me to join the force once finished. Having read this site as part of my revision into how I go about moving into law enforcement in Canada and I have seen you post many times with what seems great insite into EPS I was wondering if I could pick your brains about several questions I have regarding my journey so far.
Thanks in advance.

Ross

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Hi Ross, no problem at all, send me a PM on here and I'll give you my work email address.
Nige

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Brilliant thank you I'll send you a message.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Brilliant thank you, I'll send you a message.

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Still a relieve there. Finally got PR and will be landing at the end of the year. Hoping to make the cut in 2017.

Got any tips to prepare for the tests?

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Hi Baller,

Congrats on the PR!! Are you talking about the written tests or physical?

Most people prepare for the ACT/APCAT by using PolicePrep, either the book or the online version.

Go to Policeprep.com and select Alberta tests

Nige

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Thanks! I have already been in contact with recruiting and they recommended that book as well. I plan to go through it when I land and get my CPR certificate. If there is any advice you could give me with respect to the interviews that will take place during the application process, that would be highly appreciated!

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Keep an eye on the Join EPS website and book yourself onto a BDI interview workshop prior to a BDI. Also go to the information session prior to that. In relation to the personal disclosure interview and subsequent polygraph, just be completely honest about your past. We need to know it all. Applicants fail because they think they can hide it, or play it down, and then come clean as they are on polygraph. At that point it's too late. So, be yourself.
Arrange a Ride Along too, Recruiting or myself can arrange that for you.

Send me a PM and I'll give you my work email.

Nige

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Nige, I'm currently a Police Officer in Australia and need some info about joining EPD. Any chance I can get your email address? I tried emailing EPD but I couldnt get all my questions in the box before sending

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Nige, I don't suppose you are the same Nigel that I've heard about - the one that moved out to work in Canada having previously worked in Holyhead?

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Hi Supereddzz,


Feel free to private message me, or email me. My work email is on this thread somewhere.


Nige

Re: Joining the Canadian Police from the UK
 

Will do once I've posted enough times to send a PM!